I am a complete Ramsay Brothers fan and I miss their horrific creativity on the big as well as the small screen, immensely. Okay, now you can stop laughing. No! I mean it seriously, stop laughing.
Ramsays’ horror films despite being big hits, could barely attract educated audience to the theatres and were mostly categorized as B or C grade Hindi films. Be it films like Tahkhana, Purani Haveli, Veerana or Daak Bangla, starring the same regular faces Raza Murad, Vijendra Ghatge, Deepak Parashar, Rajesh Vivek, Puneet Isssar, Aarti Gupta, Poonam Dasgupta and other almost unknown actors in mainstream cinema. And even though they never managed to make a mark in mainstream cinema, they were successful in creating a niche, dedicated audience for themselves in the film industry. One can’t help but admire the courage of these guys for jumping into a “hatke†genre of films, while others were busy making love stories and family dramas.
Couple of years later and with the increasing popularity of Cable Network, Ramsay Brothers made an outstanding debut on the idiot box with their ever-popular productions, The Zee Horror Show. As the name suggests, the series was broadcasted on Zee TV and practically went on for nearly 9 years, airing more than 350 episodes. Zee TV enjoyed high TRP ratings in the initial years and even though rival channels brought out their own versions of horror shows, like Aahat and Shh…Koi Hai, Ramsay Brothers managed to stay on the stop.
I can vaguely remember the very first episode of The Zee Horror Show starring Archana Puran Singh as the evil spirit aka. Bhootni. And there was this scene with her chopped head placed under a platter, her face all black and blue and she is laughing away to glory. Now though this scene was intended to scare our pants off, it actually ended up doing the opposite, atleast for me. Archana’s laugh was goofy than frightening and here face resembled more to a circus clown rather than a dead person on a killing spree.
Their horror was way outdated when compared with international standards but I guess they had added their own little “charm†and on the safer side, were never too gaudy for the viewing eyes. Produced through hooting owl or crying dog or screeching doors, black cat appearing from nowhere (a sign for bad luck), Thakur’s old Haveli with 100 bhk, aged Ramu Kaka (now this dude is so old that even Baa from Ekta’s serials would look like a college chick in comparison), a shadow appearing and disappearing on a distant wall, blood soaked hands that stamp on a mirror with shrill voice for a sound effect, giant wall clock which only worked at the stroke of midnight, long nails and two protruding teeth on a monstrous face and the only way to get rid off the bhoot was either by punching a Trishul thru its heart or by exposing it to sunlight.
But the best bit about their tele-show or even movies for that matter was that, if it didn’t make you scream out of fear it would surely make you laugh out of your skin. So basically this way or that, being entertained is a sure shot guarantee.
Sigh! Those were the days.
Here is a clip from the film Shaitani Ilaaka, desi version of Evil Dead Part 2. Have Fun.
[Cross Posted on DesiDabba]
I haven’t seen the movie yet, and...
Comments
16 comments | Add your comment »
Collen
Apr 18th, 2007 at 2:10 pm | #
Puran Haveli was a masterpiece. These guys totally rocked.
Prasad Shetty
Apr 18th, 2007 at 2:29 pm | #
I have seen almost all those Horror(?) movies from Ramsay brothers.
My Fav flick was Purana mandir & Veerana.
And yes I miss Zee horror show
Keith
Apr 18th, 2007 at 3:40 pm | #
The Ramsays have a following among non-Indian Western horror and cult film fans, most of whom desperately wish that someone would just release these things on DVD already. Considering some of the tawdry nonsense that does get released, can the reputation of the Ramsay Bros. films be THAT bad? And if there really are no Indian DVD labels willing, then here’s hoping that Mondo Macabro continues to plumb the depths of the Ramsay Bros horror catalog.
Lalit
Apr 19th, 2007 at 12:17 pm | #
I think I have seen 2 mopvies of that genre
Purana something and Veerana
One characteristic thing u forgot to meantion that all those bhoots wore seekh kababs on their fingers
and had hair done by some very angry hair dresser, who just fought with her husband coz he was stealing her make up.
popat
Jul 10th, 2007 at 8:40 pm | #
i did not see zee horror show i want to see all episodes how can i see please tell me
shashank
Jul 20th, 2007 at 12:50 pm | #
since my childhood i watched all serials n movies of Ramsay brothers movies.
actually i sleep, sit, work, walk,talk,eat etc. with Ramsay movies.
i am die hard fan of their movies. The minutes my friends discuss about thier
movies i go mad & crazy . actually my childhood dream is to work only for a small
role in their films,but no matter i salute them for making wonderfull n something
spicy creations n may they should get lots n lots of sucessess in their films.but i hope my childhood dream working n playing a small role comes true by god’s grace.
your die hard fan
shashank.
farhan
Jul 31st, 2007 at 3:19 pm | #
i am big fan of zee horror show please provide me some copies of zee horror show as soon as possible thanks……………..
Mujahid Pasha.
Sep 18th, 2007 at 12:23 pm | #
PLEASE DO THE NEEDFUL, which enable us to see once again my childhood
Zee tvs horror show { ramsays brother } if it has been telecasted in any tv channel’s
then please let me know to my E-mail id
many thanks
mujahid pasha.
neha
Oct 12th, 2007 at 1:52 pm | #
i love zee horror show
Nancy
Dec 18th, 2007 at 8:53 pm | #
Ramsay brothers i love all ur movies n specially the locations u shot at.the lake and panchganga at mahabaleshwar.the old christian cemetry of veerana was just amazin.i 2 luv mahabaleshwar as u guyz do.
Salman
Mar 16th, 2008 at 5:21 pm | #
I love ur horror movies like purana mandir veerana
Santosh
Apr 18th, 2008 at 7:54 am | #
I like ZEE HORROR SHOW and i wish to see it again
dr dooom
Sep 23rd, 2008 at 10:22 pm | #
please please please please please sum 1 please upload zee horror show i was 11 when zee tv put it on. me and brothers and sisters would always watch please put it back im dieing to see it man.
dr dooom
Sep 23rd, 2008 at 10:23 pm | #
please please please please please sum 1 please upload zee horror show i was 11 when zee tv put it on. me and brothers and sisters would always watch please put it back im dieing to see it man. hahahhahahahahahhahahahhahahahhahahhahahahahhahahahhahahahhah
Krishna
Apr 4th, 2009 at 7:04 pm | #
I have seen each episode of Zee horrow show & never missed it in my childhood. it was so exciting & horrible. Specially the starting music was very amazing. i miss Zee Horrow show.
osman
Dec 6th, 2009 at 6:40 pm | #
hey guys u cannot believe i was just about 12 years old in islamabad , my father bought dish antiena at home and we have saw many indian channels v got mad it was friday and at 9 o clock we watched zee horror show a serial name RAAZ , yar that was one of my gr8est memory in my life it was unbelievable